Nightly Comfort
by TeaWriter
Summary: Our favorite Wonderland couple at night. Alice has a nightmare  pretty self-explanatory  and, well, click the link to read it!


Nightly Comfort

A few drabbles about our favorite Wonderland couple at night. Alice has a nightmare, pretty explanatory. Might write one about Hatter having a nightmare too; we'll see what the future holds ;)

"Hatter…"

The slumbering man rolled over at the sound of his name. Sleepy green eyes fluttered open, and he raised himself up on one elbow to look at his wife. She looked like she was in pain.

"No, please! I just— No, don't!" Alice moaned as her light eyebrows knitted together.

Tarrant watched for a few moments in an oddly fascinated way. What was going on in that pretty little head of hers? She began to gasp and reach out for something, or someone.

"Tarrant, no! Please!" She begged into the quietness of their bedroom. He shook his head and leaned down to her.

"Alice," he breathed into her ear while his hand tried to ease the tension in her neck. "Alice, my girl, wake up."

She became aware of his closeness as she made it back into the land of consciousness. Her eyes flew open to stare into green eyes of concerned curiosity. Relief washed over her in waves and she blinked several times. Immediately she threw her arms around him, sobbing into his clean night shirt.

"There now," he soothed, rubbing her smooth shoulder and working his hand down her back, "don't be frightened. It's alright."

She felt the tension drain away as he worked small circles on her back. She then sat back on the pillows and held a hand to her forehead. He drew up into a kneeling position beside her.

"What was the dream about?" He asked quietly, his green eyes gently searching her dark brown ones. She blushed and looked away, shaking her head.

"It was nothing, I'm okay now."

He knew her better than she pretended.

"Alice," he lisped, looking at her with such love that she felt like she was melting underneath his gaze, "please. Tell me what your dream was about." She couldn't refuse his soft command. She took a deep, shuddery breath and began.

"We were at the entrance of Mamoreal," she started, and her husband listened intently. "It was perhaps the most beautiful night I'd ever seen, much like the night when you came back from the Red Queen's palace with the others."

"Down with the bloody Red Queen," Hatter darkly muttered. His eyes flashed back to their normal green when Alice touched his hand with her own. "Sorry," he whispered, "I'm fine."

"I took your hand as if to walk with you to the castle to meet the White Queen, but you pulled your hand out and began to walk away, in the opposite direction."

Hatter frowned in confusion as he thought of the very idea. A slight quiver came to his wife's voice as she continued on.

"I called out to you, and asked you where you were going, but you said you had to avenge me. I called you and called you to come back to me but you never heard a word that I shouted. It was all so real…" She collapsed against his chest in another quiet wave of fresh tears. His arms surrounded her as she shook with mild sobs.

"But it was just a dream, Alice," he murmured into her golden curls. "Only a dream. You know I would never leave you." His lips brushed past her cheek as his bandaged thumb wiped the tears off the other one.

"Please, Tarrant," Alice was clearly troubled as she tried to stop crying, "promise you won't leave me. I don't mean to come across as a burden, but I mean, I've really enjoyed being married to you this far and I—" His finger shushed her rambling.

"Indeed, we're married, Alice," he smiled warmly at her. "You know I will always be by your side, ready to carry you if need be." She smiled a tiny smile at his metaphorical sentence.

"I'm sorry," she fretted, "I shouldn't worry, I know. It's just that a dream can seem so real sometimes…" He tilted her head up to touch her lips with his. Gently first, then a second time with more passion.

"I'll always be here when you wake up," he whispered, sending shivers down her spine. How could such a wonderful madman be so romantic and comforting to her during these seemingly insignificant nocturnal moments?

"Now, let's try and get back to sleep, hmm?" Hatter patted the bed beside him and she smiled, laying back down. Once the Hatter was satisfied that she was comfortable, he turned on his side to try and get back to sleep. Silence filled the room. Alice stared up at the vaulted ceiling made of gleaming white marble. She let out a small sigh. Just as the Hatter was about to drift off—

"Tarrant?" Alice asked in a small voice. He rolled over, trying to hide his slight frustration at being jerked awake once more.

"Yes, my Alice?" He inquired.

Pause.

"Will you… Will you hold me?" She blinked hard, trying to see his face hidden in the shadows. His heart warmed and he smiled at her illuminated face, which wore an expression of complete surrender and vulnerability.

"Come here," he whispered softly, and slid his arms around her slender waist, drawing her closer to him. She readily went to him, her head coming in contact with the strong solidity of his chest. He smelled like cotton and tea leaves and other things that relaxed her completely. To be this close to him- so warm, so secure- she really belonged here. His fingers absentmindedly played with some of her golden strands. There were no words to describe how he felt when he was with her. She fit with him perfectly. Nothing could tear them apart. He abandoned her curls and let his hands wander back down to their post at her hips. She was already asleep, the slightest hint of a smile delicately etched on her calm face. He mirrored her smile, leaned down to kiss her forehead, and soon drifted off to sleep himself.


End file.
